I don't have a lot of experience with other states, but I get the impression from Set that New Mexico has unusually good published geological resources, often from the New Mexico Geological Society. This one is put out by New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, but it meets the same high standards.

Which actually surprised me a bit. From the title, I half expected a gee-whiz level treatment aimed at the intelligent tourist, something like the usual short books the Park Service puts out for the larger parks and monuments, and so I first loaned one from my local library. I was impressed enough to subsequently buy my own copy to use in the field.

The book is quite comprehensive, covering 44 locations in northern New Mexico (the boundary being placed, apparently, just south of Albuquerque.) The technical detail is roughly that of the better Geology Underfoot books, which this one somewhat resembles, and decidedly better than the Roadside Geology series. I found myself having to look up a few terms in the glossary now and then; although there is a quite nice introduction running through the geological history of New Mexico, the authors clearly assume that you already know the difference between, say, a basalt and an andesite. Though in this respect the book is a touch uneven, which may not be surprising, considering that each chapter has its own author. Some will take time to explain terms that others just assume you know.

Each chapter has a decent to excellent geological map. The larger-scale maps are admittedly not of the quality of the 30' quadrangle series, but plenty detailed for a geology tourist visiting for a day or two. The smaller-scale maps, such as that of Soda Dam in the Jemez, are actually more detailed than any I've run across before. Some of the descriptions had me drooling; I don't think I'm going to have any trouble coming up with suggestions when Set, SQPR, or others come visiting and feel like looking at rocks.

There are some good anecdotes, such as the story of Arthur Manby, the English mining engineer who became the most hated man in Taos. "In 1929 Manby's decapitated body and head were found in separate rooms of of his Taos home. The cause of death was declared to be from natural causes." It is, of course, scandalous that suicide was not even considered.

Two thumbs up. ( )